What is Piriformis Syndrome & Deep Gluteal Pain Syndrome?
Piriformis syndrome and deep gluteal pain syndrome are often used interchangeably but are not the same diagnosis. It is important to clarify which diagnosis you have and that’s why it’s important to see a physiotherapist.
The piriformis muscle, which sits within your buttock muscle causes irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve.
Common causes:
- Muscle tightness or spasm
- Overuse or running injuries
- Direct trauma to the buttocks
Typical symptoms:
- Deep buttock pain
- Pain radiating down the back of your leg
- Pain worse on sitting
- Pain worse with rotating the hip or stretching the hip
What is deep gluteal pain syndrome?
Essentially, this is a much broader diagnosis. It means that structures in your buttocks, not your spine are irritating your sciatic nerve.
Possible causes include:
- The piriformis muscle becoming tight
- Other deep muscle rotators
- Fibrous bands
- Gluteal muscle tightness
- Hamstring origin mimicking sciatic pain
- Scar tissue
How physiotherapists tell the difference?
A skilled physiotherapist doesn’t rely on a single test or question. Instead, making a diagnosis comes with taking multiple steps:
- Detailed history
- Movement assessment and analysis
- Palpation and physical examination of the spine, hips and gluteal structures
- Hip joint testing
- Lumbar spine testing and screening
- Neurological testing
Why assessment and diagnosis are important?
- Prescribing the correct exercises
- Using the correct hands-on therapy
- Knowing which tendons to load
- The correct exercise dosage and prescription
- Addressing surrounding tissues
When Should You Seek Physiotherapy Treatment?
You should consider seeing a physiotherapist if you are experiencing:
- You have ongoing buttock pain lasting more then 2-3 weeks
- Pain worsening with sitting
- Pain down the back of your leg
- Pain and discomfort impacting your lifestyle
Rugby Physio has been a trusted Physiotherapy provider locally since 1995, with extensive experience in successfully treating buttock pain. Call our friendly team to book an appointment for an assessment.